What does gimmick mean?
Word: Gimmick
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Gimmick means a clever trick or unusual idea used mainly to grab attention or sell something. A gimmick is often more show than real value.
Synonyms: trick, stunt
How do you spell gimmick?
Syllables: gim - mick
Tricky part: Double the m, and end with ck. The g is hard, as in give, even though an i follows it.
Watch out for: gimick, gimmik, gimmic
Memory tip: A gimmick is a trick, and both end in ck. Before that, the m is doubled: a gimmick shouts twice for your attention.
Gimmick in a sentence
Example 1: The free toy in the cereal box is just a gimmick to make children ask for it.
Example 2: Our class monitor called the talking pen a gimmick, but it really did help her revise.
Example 3: The shop's huge 'Sale!' banner turned out to be a gimmick, as prices had hardly changed.
Fun Fact
Nobody is sure where gimmick came from. It first appeared in American English in the 1920s, possibly as slang for a hidden device used by magicians or tricksters.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
cikgmim
a) gimmick
b) gimlet
c) magic
d) mimic
Show answer
a) gimmick. Two m's, two i's, a c and a k: these fit gimmick and leave nothing over.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) rythm
b) gimmick
c) cinammon
d) mischievious
Show answer
b) gimmick. Rhythm needs its h, cinnamon doubles the n and mischievous has no i before ous, so gimmick is the only safe choice.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
gimmick
a) refund
b) discount
c) bargain
d) ploy
Show answer
d) ploy. A ploy is a clever plan to get what you want, which is what a gimmick is.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The free sticker was only a gimmick to make us buy the biggest packet of biscits.
a) gimmick
b) biscits
c) sticker
d) packet
Show answer
b) biscits. Biscuit has a u between the c and the i.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A reviewer who calls a phone's flashing-light feature 'just a gimmick' thinks it ____.
a) drains the battery fast
b) was hard to design
c) costs too much to fix
d) looks fun but adds little
Show answer
d) looks fun but adds little
2. Which product is most likely selling a gimmick?
a) a seat belt fitted in a family car
b) a first-aid kit kept in the staffroom
c) a toothpaste tube that plays a tune
d) a fire extinguisher on a school wall
Show answer
c) a toothpaste tube that plays a tune
